Teaching Okalanae
by MorningStar0804
Summary: Okalanae's mother died when she was young, leaving Okalanae to her own devices. Strange things happen when she is near other people, so she isolates herself to a nearby forest she visited as a child. But when she stumbles across the Benedicts, is she sure who she can trust? She will have to wait and see. All original pairings.
1. chapter 1

**_Author's note_**

 ** _Hey, this is my first fanfic. I hope you guys enjoy and let me know your thoughts._**

The soothing pitter-patter of the familiar waterfall fell into my sight: unknown to all but me, it was my safe haven; a place I could leave all my worries and be free. Surrounded by overhanging willow trees and large boulders, it was almost entirely invisible to all those that were unaware of its existence. I, on the other hand, has always known of its whereabouts; I had lived here since the age of eight, after my mother died. My mama had always been there for me, helping me navigate the maze-like undergrowth and understand the difference between poison and food.

She always used to take me here on camping trips, my mama. We spent half our lives here, as she passed on her knowledge of the hidden world of nature to me. I never understood why people chose to live in overpopulated towns and cities; even my small hometown just off the coast off Hawaii was too much for me. For whatever reason, whenever I found myself in the presence of other people, strange things would happen. Unexplainable things.

This was the reason I now sought after an isolated life away from civilisation. The sole reason I remained in the presence of people in my early life was due to mama. She managed to prevent the majority of people from being aware of my existence, but rumours in such a small town still spread like wildfire.

Whispers could be heard creeping through door cracks, slithering under fences. Whispers about the beautiful Olivia Garcia hiding her only child, only letting her out at night to go into the forest. Whispers about a young girl, just five years old, having anxiety attacks at the mere sight of another's presence. Whispers about a strange girl with her mother's platinum blonde hair and deep blue eyes, causing inexplicable things to happen to those around her. Whispers about a petite girl named Okalanae Garcia, hidden from the world.

Whispers about me.

People believed that I was a troubled child, and my mama was merely too embarrassed to admit to my existence. But they didn't know half the story. They didn't know how I begged to stay inside each day, no matter how much mama pleaded with me to go to school like other kids my age. People became curious as to whether their gossip was true, so they began knocking on our door with a number of excuses to come in, desperate to catch sight of me. But they never did.

Until one day. It was the day of my eighth birthday, and mama and I had spent the night camping in the forest. However, as we emerged from the trees, I tripped and fell over the root of a tree. Mama turned around to help me up, but was suddenly frozen to the spot when she caught sight of something behind me, in amongst the thickets of trees. Her features filled with horror, her mouth opening in an oh of terror.

"Don't move," commanded a voice coming from behind my back, amidst the silence of the deserted forest. " I know what you are, there's no use trying to hide it." I'd heard that voice befor. It was our nearest neighbour. His name had slipped my mind, but I could recognise his voice anywhere. He used to frequently visit mama's house in desperate attempts to see me. My hands began to shake, signaling an oncoming panic attack. Within seconds violent shudders racked down my spine. Terror of seeing people shot through my veins, as my uneven breathing pierced the icy air.

Mama seemed more concerned for me than herself.

"Oak has no part in this. Let her go." I was overcame with sudden confusion. What had I no part in?

As my eight-year-old self tried to comprehend the situation at hand, I became aware of the fact that our neighbour was drawing closer, his steps slow but determined. I glanced up towards mama in fear.

"Come quietly, and I might consider it." His voice didn't waver in the slightest, oozing confidence he knew she would be insane to defy. All of a sudden, the ground began to shake subtlely from beneath me, scarcely noticeable.

"No." It came out as barely more than a whisper, but all I was aware of was that this man was trying to take mama away from me. I dared to glance up at him: his stocky build, jet black hair and coal black eyes contained not an ounce of their usual warmth, instead replaced with cold and calculated malice.

"And what might you do about it, little girl?" His voice was devoid of emotion, his words threatening an unspoken challenge. The tremors in the ground grew more pronounced. His imposing figure swung around towards mama, and he pulled something from the inside of his jacket: a gun. He pointed the barrel directly at my mother's head, and her stature stiffened slightly.

"Stop that. Now." His previously calm and contained voice now shook slightly, sounding on the verge of eccentric. Why was he so afraid of a small earthquake? And why was he blaming mama?

"I'm not doing anything! Earthquakes happen all the time!" She stuttered, a hint of panic in her voice.

"Oh really? I'm not so sure about that." His voice had at this point regained its steely facade lacking a single emotion as he realised he was in control of the situation. The tremors had at this point increased so much that his gun had began to tremble.

"I swear, if you don't stop that in five seconds, I _will_ shoot you. I don't care what trouble I get into." The tremors hadn't ceased in the slightest.

"5-" Aldrenaline pumped through my veins.

"4-" I gazed pleadingly up at mama.

"3-" I didn't want mama to go!

"2-" why won't it stop?!

"1-" BANG! I screamed. The man laughed manically. Mama fell to the floor. Crimson blood pulses from the fatal wound on her chest onto a bed of forest leaves. Mama was dead.

Everything from that point happened in slow motion. The tremors in the ground had reached a breaking point. A flockering golden orb shot towards the murderer's chest, seemingly floating through the air. He dropped to the floor. And I ran.

At the time, I hadn't processed what had happened. I believed that upon my return to the forest, mama would be waiting to greet me with her rapturous embrace. But running through the deserted forest, not the smallest trace of her could be found. Not the extravagant shine of her platinum blonde hair, nor the starry twinkle in her deep blue eyes.

Days, months, years flew by and I never left the comfort of the forest. I had finally accepted her death after another eight years, however, the idea of returning to civilisation was always too daunting; I often had panic attacks at the mere thought of it.

And so I began a life isolated from society, with no hope of my mama ever returning home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author' note**

 **Hey guys, I'm really sorry if the last chapter said the story was completed, I intend to make this quite a long story if I get enough reviews. I'm actually from England, but I'm trying to make this sound American, so it would be great if any of you could tell me if I get anything wrong.**

Zed POV

As we boarded the plane from the Denver airport, I caught sight of Sky sitting in a window seat, staring vacantly out of the plane window. Smiling slightly, I strode over to join her. Awakening from her trance, she grinned at me, her face lightening up automatically.

"Hey, you," her voice was music to my ears, a melody only I could fully appreciate.

"Hey, yourself. You excited?" This was our first vacation together, since mom had allowed my brothers and I to bring our soulfinders.

"Super. Sally and Simon are so jealous. They've always wanted to go to Hawaii," she replied, a tad smug.

"Well, I guess they're gonna have to wait for their tropical escape. And now, I have you all to myself for the next two weeks," I teased.

Xav appeared in the aisle, arm in arm with his soulfinder, Crystal. She grinned at me, and I returned the gesture: Crystal and I had always gotten along.

"Hey, lovebirds, mom says she expects best behaviour from the both of you. Especially you, Zed." Xav gave me a playful look.

"Me?" I gasped, feigning innocence. "Why, whatever have I done to make her think so highly of me?" Sky began giggling, and Xav gave me an amused look.

"Well, I have a list in my bag if you wanna see it. Mind you, on second thoughts, I think the plane's about to take off. C'mon Cupcake, lets go find our seats." The pair hurried past us, eventually taking refuge in a pair of seats several rows back. I turned to Sky.

"And so the adventure begins..."

Okalanae POV

Ever since that day, I've blamed myself for mama's death. I now realise that, on some level, I was responsible for the earthquake that had coursed it. Don't ask how. But every day, I was burdened with this overwhelming knowledge. Guilt pulsates throughout my very being like a disease, and not a day went past when I didn't think what if. What if I hadn't tripped over the tree root and screamed? What if we had emerged from another part of the forest? What if I _had_ been able to prevent the ground from shaking?

What if mama was alive?

Would we have moved into a small cabin in the forest together, away from town? Would I have overcome my terror of people? Would we laugh together at the feeble attempts of the village people trying to find us?

Would we be happy?

My mind wandered to some of our final, bittersweet memories together. Mama and I were baking together, laughing and mocking eachother's apparent lack of culinary expertise. But, now that I studied the memory in further detail, something seemed... _off_ about it. Almost as if it had been changed. Curious, I delved further into some of my earlier memories and, sure enough, they all had the same slightly distant quality about them. This occurred all the way up to the day of mama's death, where they returned to normal. However, the second I tried to examine one of the previous memories in further detail, I was confronted with a mental blockade.

Sighing in defeat, I returned to my scavenging around for my next food supply, knowing full well I hadn't reached the end of this odd subject.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys, thanks so much for reading and reviewing, let me know what you think of this chapter!**

Zed POV

The plane touched down with a heavy thump at Kahului airport. Sky and I shared an excited look before I jumped up to collect our bags from the overhead lockers. Yves and Phoenix copied this notion several rows ahead.

After departing the plane, we managed to assemble the entire Benedict clan. Everyone was here: even Margot had got a break from work to accompany Will.

Dad lead us through security to where three BMW's awaited our arrival. The plan was that me, Sky, Xav, Crystal, Uriel and Tarryn would occupy the first one, mom, dad, Yves, Phee, Will and Margot in the second, and finally Atoosa, Victor, Trace and Diamond in the third one.

"After you," I gestured grandly towards the open car door, and Sky clambered in, giggling slightly. Following in after her, I turned to examine our surroundings: the luscious green grass was spotted with tropical trees, the clear blue sky contained not a single cloud, and the pleasantly warm sun beamed down upon us.

Oakalanae POV

Emerging from the small cave in which I had slept, I braced myself for the oncoming day. Today was my birthday, or, as I thought of it, the anniversary of my mama's death.

It was always a hard time for me: the guilt seemed to increase tenfold. Every year I would visit the very place the was murdered, and place flowers there in her memory.

I began to wander towards The Spot, picking multiple flowers along the way. The Spot was right in front of the place mama and I used to live together, but it was now for sale, since no one had claimed it after mama's death and my disappearance. Aside from a small village that consisted primarily of rented villas, there were no other occupants within a miles radius.

Settling down at the foot of the tree which I had tripped over 8 years previously, I lay down the bouquet tentatively on the ground.

Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes, eventually beginning to glide down my cheeks. Before I knew it, I was full-on sobbing. I imagined her familiar face within my mind: her deep blue eyes, wild blonde hair and petite figure. She was always there for me, and it was agony knowing I would never see her again. It felt more like hours rather than years since her passing. The rage towards her murderer was ripped open once again inside of me, and sorrow like a wound that would never heal.

I didn't know how long I remained there, curled up at the foot of that tree, but it felt like hours. I believe I must have fallen asleep though, because I was jolted awake with a sudden realisation: I could hear footsteps and loud voices approaching me.

Sky POV

The car drive slowly around the picturesque forest, allowing us to drink in every detail. Strange yet beautiful plants decorated the sides of the dirt road, protected by a vast array of tropical trees. I noticed something at the foot of one that astonished me. I nudged Zed, gesturing towards it. He frowned slightly, before requesting that Uriel pull over for a moment. Zed climbed through the door and I followed him. The closer I got, the more certain I became of my suspicions: it was a person.

Curled up by the trunk of a tree, her long hair was so matted with dirt it was near impossible to distinguish from the ground. Her pale face was coated with dust. When I switched on my savant power, her colours were neutral, signaling she was asleep. Uriel and Tarryn emerged from within the car, closely followed by Xav and Crystal, who were having an animated discussion.

"Shh!" I hissed at them. "You'll wake her!" But it was too late. Her eyes shot open, revealing a look of pure terror on her tear-ridden face that was reflected in her colours. And then she ran off, deep into the forest. So I followed her.

 **Author's note**

 **Llamacorn:**

 **Don't worry, I can read your reviews, and they're amazing. Thank you so much, you've given me so much help in making this. Also, I totally agree: Sky and Zed are meant for each other :-)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys, thank you so much for the reviews, they really help me improve and it's great to know what you think.**

Okalanae POV

My heart thrummed at abnormal speeds in my chest. My breathing was shallow and ragged. Terror gripped at every inch of me.

She was following me. I could hear her steady footsteps from far behind, but this was my home ground. I knew every inch of these woods, having lived in them for the past 8 years. _She'll never find me,_ I assured myself. But that didn't prevent the panic constantly throwing me off course.

After what felt like hours of running- though was probably minutes- I found what I was searching for: a small waterfall concealing an almost invisible hidden cave behind it. They would never find me here.

Sky POV

After I had ran after the girl, I heard the others chasing after her as well. Coincidentally, the other two cars had pulled up at that exact moment to help.

I couldn't explain my irrational need to chase after her. It was like some gut instinct egging me on of its own accord.

With the assistance of the entire Benedict clan, we managed to track her down to a clearing containing a lake and small waterfall.

"Where could she be hiding?" Enquirers Trace, peering around as though he expected her to jump out at him.

"Let's split up, we'll cover more ground that way," Victor commanded in his no-nonsense voice.

Thankfully, no one questioned my desire to find her. They seemed all seemed to share the same instinct that drove me to do so, meaning no questions were asked. Suddenly, I heard Atoosa yell:

"Hey! I think I found her!"

Okalanae POV

I stood, shivering in fear, in a damp corner of the claustrophobic cave. They had somehow managed to locate the clearing, which I had deemed impossible for anyone besides me. How they had done it, I didn't know.

"Hey! I think I found her!" Yelled a girl's voice triumphantly. Oh no. That was not part of the plan. The forest was supposed to be safe! That was the reason I came here- to stay hidden from other people! Especially large groups, like they appeared to be!

A dark shadow strode towards the edge of the waterfall. Closer. And closer. They were about to come in-

A violent shockwave ran through the ground, causing the person to stumble and fall. Sighing in relief, I took this as my only opportunity to escape, I ran. The tremor had lasted barely seconds, yet it managed to give me enough time to escape the clearing and sprint into the sanctuary of the trees. As I ran past, I noted that all 16 of them (I counted) had been knocked over, yet none had suffered serious injurys. For some reason, this pleased me. I didn't want anyone else hurt because of me.

Victor POV

"Everyone okay?" I called, hurrying towards Atoosa, who had been standing by the entrance to the hidden cave before the abrupt earthquake.

"Fine, I think," Atoosa replied as she accepted my hand extended towards her.

I heard a few other grumbles as the others began to pick themselves up. Sky remained sat on a rock, looking thoroughly disappointed. Zed walked over to try and comfort her. Dad wandered towards me, accompanied by Trace, and we began to discuss what he'd just happened. Noticing what was happening, Uriel and Will trotted over to try and shed light upon the situation.

"-and Sky noticed her laying by the duke of the road, fast asleep. We pulled over to check she was okay, but she woke up and ran away, so we all followed, and, well, you know the rest." Uriel was filling us in on what had happened when a piece fell into place.

"Guys, that earthquake was no coincidence. I think that girl's as Savant."

 **Author's note**

 **Llamacorn:**

 **It's so great to hear your feedback! Your always the first one to review, and that's amazing. No worries, I would never consider splitting Zed and Sky up. They're too perfect together! :-)**

 **Prettyweirdgirl:**

 **It's so amazing to know you're enjoying this, I put a lot of effort into this. I try to update as soon as I can while still producing decent sized chapters, so you'll just have to wait to see what happens**

 **next!;-)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys, OMG I've had so many amazing reviews! Getting them literally makes my day, please don't be scared to let me know what you think. This chapter's a bit of a filler while I decide what happens next, enjoy!**

Okalanae POV

I managed to find my way back to my main camp, knowing that the people chasing me would be unprepared to do so again.

By the time I had bathed and washed my filthy clothes in the freshwater stream, it was nightfall. This was my favourite time of day. You could sit on a rock and gaze upon the setting sun, thriving in the empty silence. No dutys or chores could prevent your deep thinking. Just pure, blissful silence.

As I sat, staring into the distance, it occurred to me that I hadn't given much extra thought to my odd memories. In the midsts of my ponderings over what had happened with my unexpected visitors, I had forgotten all about them. Attempting once again to delve deeper into the memories, I was- as I had expected- greeted by the now familiar mental blockaid. It was like running into a brick wall you couldn't see: I was often stunned for several seconds after facing it.

I tried several more attempts, yet each of them failed just as miserably as this first, just as I had expected them to.

Sighing, I made my way back to my cave, laying down and falling promptly asleep.

Trace POV

After Victor's revelation, everything seemed painfully obvious. Of course the girl was a Savant! I mean, what was the likelihood that an earthquake had occurred at the exact moment we had her cornered?

Vic was currently doing research on the Savant Net to find Savants nearby, but this proved to be difficult. We barely knew what she looked like, let alone the girl's name!

I assisted Vic in his feverish search for a while, knowing even our best attempts were most likely to prove futile. I eventually gave up, but Vic had a determined look that and I knew no one could stop him from continuing this case.

Diamond and I had planned to go exploring down at the beach together, but Xav overheard and soon we were being joined by him, Zed, Sky, Yves and Phee.

Sky POV

The beach was more beautiful than any of us could imagine. Delicate sands of every possible colour stretched out as far as we could see. The crystal-clear water was of perfect temperature, revealing a variety of aquatic delights.

"It's stunning," I breathed as Zed and I peered into some saltwater rock pools.

"Not as much as you," Zed quipped, smiling slightly.

"Aww, that was cheesy," I laughed, and Zed sighed jokingly.

"Guess I'll have to cross that one off the list then. Dammit, that was one of my best ones as well."

We both laughed freely, thriving in eachother's presence. There wasn't a single awkward silence or forced laugh between us, just us chatting and smiling together.

As the sun began to set, we all accepted slightly reluctantly that it was time to return home. The eight of us began to trudge off of the beach towards our rented house in the outskirts of the forest.

Opening the front door, we were greeted by Vic practically sprinting towards the front door.

"Guys!" He panted, struggling to contain his apparent excitement. "I think I found something about the girl!"

 **Author's note**

 **Llamacorn:**

 **It's so great to know you like this! I've always wanted to be a writer, but I doubt people would want to read a 12 year old's work. ;-)**

 **Prettyweirdgirl:**

 **Aww, thanks so much for the review. I always love knowing what the other characters think of the protagonist, so I thought I'd encorporate that into my own writing. :-)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys, thanks again for all the amazing reviews! It's great to know what you guys think. Sorry this chapter took a while, I hope you enjoy!**

Will POV

I stood behind Vic with Margot by my side at the kitchen table. Vic had claimed that he had found something about the girl, and he was waiting to reveal it to all of us together. With everyone surrounding him, he began.

"Right, so eight years ago, in this very house, a woman named Olivia Garcia lived with her 8-year-old daughter Okalanae. No one knew about the little girl, but there were many rumours. Everyone believed the girl had been forced to stay in the house, and never leave.

"One day, Olivia's body was found on the outskirts of the forest, along with another man's. Olivia had been shot in the head, and the man had been burned alive. We don't know exactly what happened that day, but it is believed that this man found out about Okalanae and tried to confront Olivia, but ended up shooting her instead. We believe Olivia was a Savant, and had killed him using her powers. The girl hasn't been seen since, even though she was declared a missing person a few days later."

A heavy silence filled the room. Vic began tapping away on his computer, evidently trying to discover more.

"So you think this girl-Okalanae- is the one we saw in the forest?" I interrupted, my voice echoing in the quiet room.

"Almost certain," Vic replied, still tapping feverishly on his computer. "It seems to be the only possible explanation."

"So the girl ran away to the forest once she was free from her mother? Perhaps that was why she was so terrified of us- she thought we would be like her mother, and try to lock her away?" Sky asked ic, to which he nodded his head solemnly. Sky seemed relieved about this. She seemed to think it was her fault the girl had ran away.

"I guess this means you want us to go searching for her again then," sighed Uriel, and Vic grinned.

Okalanae POV

Since yesterday my time had been interrupted, I decided that today I would re-visit my tree again.

That day, I woke up slightly earlier than usual, so I ambled slowly down towards the stream to wash my face. Relishing the cool liquid in the humid air, I splashed my face briefly before setting off in the direction of the gravel road.

It took me just a few minutes of walking at a brisk pace to reach my destination: the tree was exactly as I had left it the day previously. The flowers I had placed at the root of the tree were still in place, though they seemed to wilt slightly.

Settling down in my usual spot, I examined my surroundings. My eyes swept over my old house, and I did a double take: three cars were parked in the usually empty driveway. And, to my horror, the front door began to open, revealing a petite blonde girl.

It was the girl who had chased me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys, I'm really sorry some of my chapters are quite short, I'm just trying to update as quickly as possible lately. Please don't forget to review!**

Sky POV

I stood in the open doorway, breathing in the fresh yet humid air. I pondered over the series of events that had occurred over the past few days. This girl- Okalanae- had seemed so terrified, for some reason. Everyone else said it was because of her mother, but it seemed to me like something deeper than that. The level of fear situated in her colours had been overwhelming- I wasn't aware how one person could withstand such a strong array of emotions.

I had informed Zed of my suspicions, but he had brushed off my concerns. He claimed that I was overthinking this, but I knew there were much higher stakes at risk.

Snapping out of my daze, I caught a flash of blonde hair in the outskirts of the forest. Heart thumping in my chest, I called out telepathically to Zed, before darting of into the forest once again.

Okalanae POV

A dawning sense of déjà vu settled upon me. I was sprinting among the thickets of trees, with the distant sound of light footsteps approaching.

I guessed that there were one- maybe two- pairs of footsteps chasing after me. Dodging past the overgrown trees, I willed that they would loose interest and leave me be, though I knew full well that they wouldn't. I was by no means slow, but I also wouldn't deem myself athletic enough to outrun these people.

My bare feet were calloused from years of passing over the harsh grounds of the forest; I had no way of acquiring a new pair of shoes without venturing into town. Stray twigs snagged against my ripped, too-short clothes, tearing at my face. I could barely hear my own footsteps over the sound of blood pounding in my ears.

I glanced around at my surroundings, but the uniformed trees gave me no compensation to the knowledge of my surroundings.

I was lost.

Zed POV

I chased after Sky through the forest. She was determined that she had seen the missing girl in the forest, although I was sceptical. I had been reaching out into the minds of all nearby inhabitants, but the only person's prescence I could sense was Sky's, so either this was the strongest shielder I'd ever come across, or she wasn't there.

 _Are you sure you saw her?_

 _Certain. I can see her colours up ahead._

I found that a bit worrying. Why could Sky sense her colours, when I couldn't read her mind? Could she really be that good a shielder?

 _Hang on, something's happened. She's stopped. Stay there, I'm gonna go talk to her._

I stopped abruptly, leaning up against a tree while I caught my breath. Sky tentatively began to walk towards a patch of trees several hundred feet away.

Sky POV

As I approached the place I believed the girl was hiding, I became aware of a soft whimpering sound.

As I got closer, the sound became more pronounced. I could see her curled up at the base of a tree stump. She was shaking in fear, seemingly too terrified to move.

I walked slowly towards her, but she made no move to attempt an escape. I could hear Zed breathing heavily from a couple of meters behind me, hidden in amongst the trees.

"Hey," I said softly, and she curled up tighter, trying to make herself seem as small as possible.

"Please don't be scared, I just want to help you," I tried to calm her down, though I was aware my attempts were futile: it seemed this girl was in a constantly terrified state, unable to be around other people. What could have happened to make her so frightened?

 _Zed, what do I do?_ I called out telepathically, but he had no time to reply. A sudden commotion in the trees ahead made my head snap up. Zed was first to speak, having emerged from his hiding place.

"What are _you_ doing here?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys, I apologise that this chapter took a while but I've had some personal issues to sort out. I didn't get as many reviews on the last chapter, so it would be great if you could give me some feedback on this.**

Sky POV

Vic strode from the place in which he had been hidden. A gasp emitted from my mouth: why was he here?

When he didn't respond to his previous question, Zed pressed for an answer.

"Vic? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for the girl. She's been a wanted person for eight years now, she can't escape questioning that easily."

Fury shot through my veins. How could he even consider forcing this girl to undergo questioning? Had she not already suffered enough? Zed seemed to share my thoughts.

"Vic, she's clearly terrified of us! She's been trapped in these woods for years, and the second she gets out you want to bring her in for questioning! What could she have done to deserve this?"

"Seems a bit suspicious if you ask me, her apparently abisive mother dying and her suddenly disappearing."

He ignored any further questions, and proceeded to conjur a pair of handcuffs from the inside of his jacket, before turning to face the girl.

Okalanae POV

I couldn't breathe. It felt like someone was pressing down on my chest, preventing me from drawing fresh air into my lungs. I could feel no sense of passing time.

The three people in front of me were having what appeared to be an animated debate, but I was too preoccupied to register their words. Dark spots were beginning to float into my vision, my entire body going cold, as though the temperature had just dropped dramatically.

And then the world went black.

Zed POV

Something was happening to the girl. Her breathing had become rapid and shallow, her face on the verge of turning blue. Vic, noticing this change of events, shouted at me:

"Zed! Call Xav!"

I complied with his wishes telepathically, before hurrying towards the girl, who had collapsed seconds previously. Her whole body was shuddering violently.

"She's not breathing!" Screamed Sky and, sure enough, her body had enexpectedly stiffened.

I checked her pulse. It was barely there, fluttering irregularly from beneath the palm of my hand.

Vic revealed a sleek silver cellphone from his pocket. He dialled a number furiously and paced off into the cover of the trees.

Xav arrived moments later, panting heavily but not hesitating to stride to the girl's side.

"An ambulance is on its way. The paramedics should arrive in a few minutes." Victor had re-emerged from within the trees.

Xav seemed to be having difficulty in healing the girl. A look of deep concentration had settled upon his face, but he seemed to be making little progress. Sky was gazing anxiously while I paced beside her. What had just happened?

After a while, the paramedics arrived. After surveying the situation, they quickly rolled her on to a stretcher before rushing her off in the direction they had came from.

Okalanae POV

Voices came from in every direction, swirling around in the endless void of my mind. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't locate the source of an individual one. I could hear a regular high-pitched beeping sound in the background. An odd, sterile smell filled the room.

Slowly, attempted to move each part of my body. Without opening my eyes, I firstly wiggled my toes, then fingers, then feet, and other various places. Once I had verified I could move, I began to cautiously open my eyes.

The small foreign room was filled with a bright white light that took me a moment to adjust to. I was laid in a fully reclined hospital bed. Beside this was a large heart monitor with various wires attached, the apparent source of the beeping noise. In the corner of the room, several doctors were huddled together in the midst of an in depth discussion. The heart monitor rate increased.

Evidently noticing this phenomenon, one of the doctors turned around to face me. My breath caught in my throat.

"Ah, I see you're awake."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys! Thank you so much for all you amazing reviews on the last chapter, they really make me smile in the morning. I have a half term holiday coming up soon, but hopefully that won't affect my timing too much.**

Okalanae POV

As I lay in the small room, the doctor who had previously spoken approached me, leading the other four he had been discussing with to turn and face me. They all maintained blank looks devoid of emotion. The one who had spoken had begun fiddling with various IV's that I now noticed were stuck into my arm.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Clark, I will be your doctor for the duration of your stay." He had a stern, no-nonsense vibe surrounding him. I remained frozen against the bed, still too terrified to move.

"I'm sure you must be very disorientated right now, but thirteen hours previously you were brought here-Honolulu hospital- after suffering from a severe panic attack. We have no medical records regarding you, so we'll have to play it by ear a bit in matters regarding your antibiotics. I must go now, but if you require assistance of any type, don't hesitate to ask for help." He indicated towards a large red call button situated on the wall beside my bed, then hurried out of the room.

Three others exited alongside him, but one remained in place. He had a tall, lean frame with meticulously styled hair, a tanned complexion and twinkling chocolate brown eyes. With a jolt, I recognised him as one of the people who had chased after me in the clearing that day. He was dressed in the white uniform matching that of the other doctors.

"Hey, I'm Doctor Benedict, but you can call me Xav. We'll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few days, so we might as well skip the formalities." He had a kind tone with an undertone of amusement, which helped ease my fear slightly, though his presence still unnerved me.

He seemed to sense my nervousness, shooting me a small smile that I couldn't return. "What's your name?" He continued.

I couldn't manage to utter my name, so I pointed instead to a sheet I now noticed that was taped onto the side of my bed. It read: _Okalanae Garcia, patent,_ along with other statistics regarding my current state.

He nodded to himself, as if I had just confirmed one of his suspicions.

"I'm no good at remembering long names. Can I call you Oak instead?" I didn't respond, but he took my silence as consent.

Instead, my mind had wandered to mama. She used to call me Oak, and Xav's use of my old nickname had brought back several earlier memories of her.

After a few moments of silence, Xav bid me a polite farewell before exiting the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Xav POV

After leaving Oak's room, I walked into the waiting room to meet the rest of my family. Mom had made me volunteer at the local hospital while we were on vacation, claiming that it would help to have assistance in my studies. To me, it just seemed like it was a huge waste of time.

Upon my entrance, I was greeted by Crystal running up to me, flinging her arms around my waist. I laughed, nuzzling my face in her mousy brown hair. Mom approached me moments later, closely followed by Dad.

"How is she?" After we had informed her of what had occurred the previous day, Mom had been anxious to say the least. It seemed odd that she could care this deeply for someone whom she hadn't met.

"Her condition's stable, we believe she'll be fit to leave within the next couple of days, though we still have a few more tests to run on her."

"Where will she live? She can't keep staying in that forest on her own, can she?" Her maternal instincts were kicking in, and it was hard not to notice.

"We've alerted the authorities, they say they're looking into orphanages she can go to." Victor had walked over without us knowing, and joined in the conversation. I glared at him. We all knew that all he wanted was to get Oak out of hospital so he could bring her in for questioning.

"It doesn't seem fair that she gets shipped off to the first place willing to take her in. Won't she need special care? I mean, I'm guessing she's never been to school," I wandered aloud.

"Exactly!" Agreed Mom.

"Well, it's not like we're left with many options, Mom," Vic sighed.

"I mean, couldn't she be fostered? Or adopted?" I may have imagined it, but her voice seemed to have a slightly hopeful undertone.

"I guess so. However, I can't see many families being willing- or responsible- enough to take in a child as troubled as Oak. By the time the right people do come along, she will most likely be a legal adult. I mean, she is sixteen," Victor explained, and Mom looked mildly disappointed.

"It's always worth a try, but I suppose you're right," Mom conceded, though she seemed put out.

"And there's no sign of a father figure?" I asked, to which Vic responded with a solemn shake of his head.

"Well, that's all we can do then. Do you know how long it'll be until they find somewhere to put her?"

"It could be days, weeks, or even months. It's hard to say with a condition like hers," Mom smiled wistfully at Vic's reply before turning to face me.

"C'mon Xav, it's the end of your shift, lets go back now." And with that, we all exited the hospital and climbed into the back of the car to drive back.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note**

 **Hey, it's me again. Thanks so much for all the reviews, I love reading them all. Some of you have been asking to update quicker, but I need to know if you would prefer slower updates and longer chapters or quicker updates with shorter chapters. Let me know in the reviews!**

 **Morningstar0804 Xx**

Okalanae POV

The next few days passed uneventfully. Day and night blurred together, and my fear each time a doctor walked in ceased slightly, although it was no where near gone. Several of them would enter every hour, some just checking in on me, some running tests and checking my IV's.

Xav was one of the doctors who visited most frequently. He always chatted happily whenever he came in, about everything from his family to his job. I never spoke to him, though he seemed content on our one-sided conversations.

The subject of his family was one that interested me in particular: he had six brothers, two of which were married. He said that he told them all about me, and would love to meet me, since I had no family.

Another subject that he spoke frequently about was his girlfriend Crystal. Whenever he spoke of her his entire face would light up, and he spoke in an awed voice filled with devotion. It didn't seem possible that one person could contain such strong emotions, and it made me eager to hear more about her. It filled me with joy that in what I had thought was a loveless world, he had found a reason to be here. It restored my hope that had previously disappeared.

XxXxXxXxX

It had now been two days since the day in the clearing. I had no idea why it was taking so long. Was it because they didn't know where to put me? I suppose they won't let me go back to my home in the woods.

I was mulling this over when Xav suddenly burst into my room, a wide grin on his face. He was in here the most often, and I found myself no longer scared of him.

"Hey Oak, guess what? You're allowed visitors now!" He exclaimed, and I smiled slightly at his enthusiasm.

"My family are desperate to meet you. You wouldn't mind if just a few of them came in, would you?"

I nodded uncertainly, unsure of why they would want to meet me, of all people. He shot me a smile before darting out of the room.

He returned several minutes later, this time with five others in tow. I stiffened slightly as they walked through the doorway, but forced myself to relax. If Xav trusted these people, then so should I.

He gave a short introduction, and I recognised each of them as having been by the waterfall several days previously. Crystal- Xav's girlfriend- was tall, with vaguely Egyptian features and frizzy brown hair. Karla- his mom- was shorter, with a seemingly excitable air about her. Saul towered over her with a slightly Hispanic face, bearing a large resemblance to Zed, his son. Sky was the last one introduced. She was the shortest of them all, with wide and innocent blue eyes and madly curly blonde hair.

My eyes wandered to Xav, and he must have sensed my nervousness, shooting me an encouraging smile.

"Oak doesn't like talking. She's what we call a selective mute," announced Xav, to which his family nodded in understanding. Karla began to walk towards me.

"Hey Oak, it's nice to finally meet you. Xav has told me loads about you. I hope he hasn't been too unbearable," she smiled, glaring at Xav mock-accusingly.

Xav feigned hurt.

"As if I ever would be! C'mon mom, I thought you knew me better than that," he joked.

Karla laughed at him, and Zed rolled his eyes, hugging Sky closer to his chest. Sky was gazing at me with what appeared to be curiosity in her eyes. Noticing that I had seen her, she turned away, blushing slightly.

After a few minutes, Xav led his family out of the room, claiming that I needed to rest.

And then I was alone.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note**

 **Hiya guys, I'm so so so sorry for the slow update! I'm really gonna try to make my chapters longer, and I'll be aiming to update at least once a week, if that's okay. Don't forget to review!**

 **Morningstar0804**

Xav POV

Overall, I think the visit went very well. Even though Oak didn't speak, I could tell that mom had fallen instantly in love with her. Oak did seem slightly daunted at first, but she quickly settled in. I knew it was a wise decision to not bring everyone in at once. Victor seemed irritated that I hadn't let him in, but I knew he would scare her too much.

Her condition was fine at the moment, but we still had no place to put her. Vic claimed they were still looking for suitable orphanages, and he believes that he had found a suitable one in Denver, but they were still awaiting a response. In the meantime, however, she was having to be kept in hospital.

XxXxXxXx

Several days later, we were all eating dinner when Vic suddenly burst into the dining room. He hadn't wanted to eat with the rest of us for whatever reason, much to mom's annoyance.

"Oak got accepted into the orphanage in Denver!" He announced whilst striding over to the table.

"Oh, that's great!" Exclaimed mom, always her over-eager self.

"When will she be leaving?" I asked quietly. Over the few days in which I had known her, I had grown alarmingly attached to the strange girl.

"It should be within the next three days. We'll be telling Oak tomorrow morning, though we still have a bit more paperwork to fill out," Vic responded.

"Oh. Okay," I said, then stood up and exited the room. Several seconds later, I heard Crystal standing up abruptly, muttering some excuse before hurrying after me.

I walked into my room with Crystal following closely behind. The second she closed the door, I wrapped my arms around her tall frame, hugging her tight against my chest.

"You okay?" She asked gently. She was the only person who knew how deeply I cared for Oak, and understood how much I would miss her when she left.

I nodded my head slowly, savouring our embrace.

"I always knew she'd have to leave at some point, but I guess I just didn't really want to accept it."

She murmured in agreement, and we hugged in silence for a minute. Suddenly, a thought came to me, and I broke away, stepping back to sit on the corner of my double bed.

"Cupcake?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you suppose that we could visit Oak sometime? I mean, Denver's only a short drive away from Wrickenwridge, isn't it?"

"I suppose so," she replied thoughtfully, leaning on the bed next to me. "It's always possible."

I smiled into my pillow. I was lucky to have her.

Oak POV

I woke up to morning sunlight streaming through the hospital windows. Xav was already inside, bustling around in his usual manner. When he noticed I was awake, he shot me a smile, though it seemed slightly forced. When he noticed my curious look, he sighed.

"They found an orphanage in Denver to send you to. You'll be leaving within the next two days." There was a sad undertone to his voice, and my eyebrows rose in surprise. Was that why I'd been kept here so long? So they could find somewhere to put me?

"Everything's sorted, we just need to fill in some final paperwork. You'll be free to leave soon," he continued, and I realised just how much I would miss Xav. I'd grown accustomed to his constant presence in my life over the past few days, and I'd began to view him as a sort of older brother. My time would have been practically unbearable if it hadn't been for him, and he was possibly the closest thing I'd ever had to a friend.

Xav left the room shortly after, and I began to wonder. Would he miss me too?

XxXxXxXxXx

The next two days passed without major incident and, before I knew it, it was time for me to leave for Denver. I had no personal belongings, so there was little need for preparation in advance. Xav had bought me several outfits and pairs of shoes since I had none of my own, although most of the clothes were too large for my short and slim frame. And the it was time for goodbye.

I was standing outside the hospital when Xav strode over to me, throwing his arms around me. I froze. No one had hugged me in the eight years since mama had died. It was a unexpected yet welcome gesture, considering that we had known each other for less than a week. I eventually relaxed into his embrace, his body towering over mine.

"My home's close to Denver, so hopefully I might be able to visit you from time to time," he whispered into my ear. I attempted to blink away the tears that threatened to overflow in the corners of my eyes. It shocked me just how much I would miss him.

And then I was being bundled into the back of a taxi, and I gave a final smile of farewell to Xav's retreating figure.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys! Thanks again for all the amazing feedback, it really helps me improve the story. Please follow favourite and review!**

XxXxXxXx

Okalanae POV

I gazed up at the looming building that stood in front of me. The brick walls towered over the neatly trimmed lawns, with various trees scattered around. I stepped nervously onto the concrete threshold, my heart fluttering nervously in my chest. Tentatively, I reached out and rang the doorbell. And so the new stage of my life began.

A tall, thin-lipped woman answered the door. She had raven black hair drawn back into a tight bun on the crown of her head.

"You must be Okalanae. Come in, and close the door behind you." She had a strict tone, I observed whilst I complied with her wishes.

The space we entered was very open, with several children of all ages loitering around. Loud chatter filled the room.

The woman loudly clapped her hands twice, and everyone fell quiet immediately.

"Alright everyone, this is Okalanae and she's new. She is a selective mute, which means she doesn't like talking, but I expect you all to be nice to her," she called, then turned to me. "I'll take you to your room now, come with me."

I followed her to a staircase, and she hurried me up it before leading me to a plain wooden door.

"I'll leave you to unpack now. Dinner's served at six thirty, I'll send someone up to collect you, and it'll be lights out at eleven," and on that note, she left.

Surveying my surroundings, I tossed my only bag onto the rug. The room consisted of one single bed, a small wardrobe, plain white walls and an empty nightstand. I sighed and began to unpack my few belongings.

XxXxXxXx

At exactly six twenty-five, I heard a loud rap on the door. I opened it to be greeted by a short girl who I guessed to be around twelve years old.

"Hey! I'm Lara and I'm supposed to be taking you down for dinner!" She exclaimed happily.

I smiled greatfully in her direction, then followed her along the hallway and down the staircase, into a dining room. It contained one long table, along with around fifty filled chairs. Lara led me to two empty chairs, and I sat down alongside her.

Lara began to chat anaimatedly to me, and I took this time as an opportunity to fully assess her appearance. She had chocolate-brown hair styled in a pixie cut that framed her pale face well. She had a cute button nose and wide grey eyes with thick, dark lashes.

Dinner passed quickly and, before I knew it, Lara was leading me back up to the solitude of my room.

XxXxXxXx

I glanced up at the large clock on the wall, which told me it was still only eight o'clock.

My heart ached to be back in the forest, in the company of only the trees and sky. Back when everything was simple, with no others watching me; judging me. My mind pondered over the events of the day.

 _I was sitting at the filled dining table, staring fixedly at my untouched plate. All eyes seemed to be on me, and it scared the hell out of me. Never before had I seen this many people in one place, and I was unsure of how to act. Do I ignore them and stick to myself? Or should I acknowledge their presence and try to remain calm? I decided to stick with the former option._

 _I felt like an outsider. I wish Xav was here. Heck, I'd love it if even Crystal was here! Anything to not feel how I do right now._

 _Lara didn't seem to mind that I wasn't talking. She didn't strike me as the type of person who was massively popular, rather one of those who had a small circle of close friends._

 _Despite the four-year age difference between us, I found myself growing fond of Lara. She was openly friendly to everyone- even those she had just met, like me- as well as easily likeable._

Snapping out of my reverie, I decided it was time for a wash. I wandered to the bathroom door, fantasising about showers and running water.

 **Author's note**

 **Llamacorn :**

 **Ahh, I'm really sorry my updates are quite slow, I've just had some personal issues to sort out. Don't worry though, Xav and Oak are just friends, I would never split up soulfinders without prior need.**

 **AWritersStory:**

 **Thanks so much for the review! I love choosing exotic names for characters, I think it's always nice to have new ones. Her name is real, but I can't remember where I found it.**

 **I think Victor is a bit suspicious of Oak at first, and he just wants to protect his family from potential danger. He will ease up in a bit though, don't worry!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys, I'm really sorry this update was quite late. I have a load of exams coming up next week and I wasn't really sure what to do with this chapter so it's kinda just a filler.**

 **Please followreview!**

Okalanae POV

 _The man's blurred, featureless face leered down at me. He took a step towards me and spoke in an indistinguishable, timeless voice:_

 _"She betrayed me. You are responsible. I will find you, and you will pay for her actions." He stepped even closer. I tried to move away, but my entire body was seemingly frozen into place. He took yet another step closer and reached out, as if to caress my cheek and-_

I jolted awake in a puddle of sweat, having been disrupted from my dream by a rapid tap on my door.

"Breakfast's in half hour!" Called an unfamiliar voice, followed by the unmistakable sound of retreating footsteps.

My heart was racing in my chest. I was ashamed of myself for feeling so panicked over this dream, because that was all it was. Wasn't it?

I'd now been at the orphanage for a week, and each night I had the same dream. Same faceless guy, same dark room. They were all exact replicas of the previous, although each time they scared me as much as the first time.

Over the past few days I had began to grow used to the daily routine and I had now settled in quite well. Lara and I had grown increasingly close, and we spent the majority of our time together.

I was due to begin some basic academic classes the forecoming Monday, since I had never before attended school. I figured that this would be rather difficult, regarding that I still couldn't speak.

It wasn't that I simply didn't _want_ to, rather the fact that I _couldn't._ Every time I tried to form words, it was like my throats closed up, rendering me unable to form even the most simple and basic words. Everyone told me it was 'normal', what with all the 'traumatic events' that had occurred in my lifetime. However, I knew for sure that this wasn't the case. This appeared to be a physical block rather than the mental everyone told me it was.

XxXxXx

I was sitting on a sofa in an empty room, with Lara sitting by my side. She was telling me about how classes would be working the following day. She was the only person that I trusted to be around and in close contact with for exttended bursts of time. I was anxious to say the least for the way in which my classes would unfold.

"Right, so Mrs Clarkson- she's gonna be you tutor- will be teaching you sign language. It's pretty much standard curriculum here anyway, since there are quite a few deaf kids here. So you'll be learning that until you get to grips with it, and then they'll introduce some basic subjects- English, math, those sorts of things. Got it?" I nodded slowly in confirmation, and she proceeded to tell me more about the routine and procedure.

My anxiety seemed to have eased up slightly over the past few weeks. Ever since I had been brought into hospital I no longer suffered panic attacks, and now I could stand to be around people for shorter periods of time. However, I still had major trust issues, with Xav and Lara being the only people I trust fully. Was it weird how fast I had gotten over my anxiety?


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note**

 **Ahhhh guys I'm so sorry this was so late! I have loads of exams going on this week that I've been preparing for, so I may not be very regular with my updated. Also, would you prefer a soulfinder to be introduced sooner or later? Let me know in the reviews!**

 **XxXxXxXx**

Okalanae POV

The next few weeks passed in a blur of familiar routines. Thanks to the classes I had each day, I could now form basic sentences to communicate using sign language. Even though I rarely used it anyway, it was still useful in certain situations.

Each night, I still had the exact same nightmare, with the exact same events. I knew that it shouldn't, but it terrified me so much. There was something just so _real_ about it. Why did it bother me this much?

I was sitting on the edge of my bed early one morning when I heard a rapid tap on the door. It opened slowly after a moment of silence, revealing a boy about my age who I hadn't seen before.

"You have a visitor waiting downstairs for you," he called, before scurrying away.

I gazed at the now closed door in bewilderment. Who would want to visit me?

Recovering from my shock, I re-opened the wooden door, practically sprinting along the hallway and down the stairs, my blonde curls bobbing up and down by the side of my face.

I reached the door to the visitors room and hesitated slightly, unsure of how to proceed. Do I knock, or just walk straight in? I hadn't ever had a visitor before.

Before I could contemplate this thought any further, the door began to open. I jumped out of its path, and I caught my first sight of the face of my visitor.

It was Xav.

Xav POV

I laughed at the shocked look on Oak's face, pulling her into a tight hug. She was tense at first, but soon relaxed into it.

Crystal entered through the door after me, where she greeted Oak warmly.

"Nice to meet you again, Oak," she said, and Oak smiled shyly.

"I said I would visit you again, didn't I!" I laughed at the curious look on her face.

"We'd better get going now, we have loads to do together today," I urged, and Oak frowned. She held up one finger, then darted out of the room. I shared a confused look with Crystal, both of us unsure as to where she was going.

Oak returned moments later, this time with a jacket in tow. So that was where she went. Her face was lit up in excitement, and she gestured impatiently at us with the universal 'follow me' hand signal. I laughed at her enthusiasm, before following her out of the room, Crystal close on my heels.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's note**

 **Hey guys, I'm really sorry the updates are quite slow and short at the moment, but I'm also struggling with a few personal issues at the moment, so I'd love it if you could just bear with me for the moment. Also, I'm not getting as many reviews any more. I just feel like you all aren't enjoying it any more? Please let me know how I can improve if this is the case.**

XxXxXxXx

Okalanae POV

The day with Xav and Crystal was great. They showed me all around Denver and we are at a restaurant with amazing food. It was lucky because Xav seemed to know the basics of sign language, what with him being a doctor.

I spent the day listening to Xav and Crystal's entertainingly animated discussions all day. It was fascinating to say the least to observe. They were like magnets in the way they interacted, constantly attached to the other's side, even throughout their bickering and arguments, which were plentiful. When one of them moved, so did the other. It made me want to smile.

However, as we all know, even the best days have to come to an end. Xav and Crystal eventually had to drop me off at the threshold of the orphanage door. I turned away towards the door, disappointed that our day had drawn to a close. Just as I reached up to open the door, I heard a pointed cough from behind me. I turned again to face the pair, and Xav spoke up.

"So, um, Oak. We were wondering if you maybe wanted to do this again sometime? Maybe tomorrow? If that's all right with you, of course," he said hurriedly, not meeting my eyes.

I smiled at his antics. I nodded, and his face brightened to mirror my own. For the second time, the couple turned and walked, hand in hand, across the neatly trimmed grass.

As I stepped through the doorway, my mood that had been previously elated plummeted suddenly as I surveyed my surroundings.

The orphanage had always reminded me of what I didn't- and never would- have. A family. The constant stream of the other kids constantly coming and going, each telling a different story of love and fulfilment. In regards to me, however, I knew no one would request to have me under their care. I was classified as a 'troubled' child. Translation: I was broken. Traumatised by mama's death, it was becoming harder and harder to maintain my seemingly composed mask, when all I wanted to do was kick and scream and cry about how unfair everything was.

To be honest, I was surprised people as poised and perfect as Xav and Crystal could stand being in the company of someone as the likes of me. Or had they merely not noticed yet? It was possible, I suppose, that my facade was not as cracked as I had presumed. But it would only be a matter of time before they found out.

XxXxXxXx

I glanced at the clock by the side of my bed and sighed. 03:27 AM. Of course.

I had been laying on this uncomfortable mattress for what had seemed like an eternity, unable to escape the crushing turmoil of my thoughts. They all cycled one after the other in a never-ending stream. What if no one ever took me in? Will I remain all by myself? How will I ever be able to earn a living if I couldn't speak? And what about my education- or lack there off, on that matter? The string was inescapable, drowning me within it's all-encompassing depths.

Once again, I wished for the simplicity of my days in the forest, with no need to think more that a week ahead. Why did I have to come here?

Why _would_ anyone ever love me? I mean, I wasn't exactly special. Now that I thought about it, it was more than likely that Xav and Crystal hung out with me merely because they felt sorry for me. It was probably the same case with Lara, too.

Why is life so unfair?

XxXxXxXx

 **Author's note**

 **Once again, I'm really sorry for the lack of updates. I promise I'll try harder to update quickly!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note**

 **Wow! This update was actually quite quick (for me, anyway). On the same day! I'm hoping to start speeding the storyline up a bit after this chapter, and we should be introducing a soulfinder in at least the next 5 chapters. Keep a look out! Please followreview!**

 **"Word"-speech**

 **'Word'-sign language**

 ** _Word-_ telepathy **

**Word-thoughts**

XxXxXxXx

Okalanae POV

What felt like years later, it was finally morning. The minutes dragged as I slowly pulled on my clothes and prepared myself for the oncoming day.

Xav and Crystal had arranged to lick me up at 11 o'clock. I glanced at the small clock on the wall above my bed, which read eight fifty-seven. That left me with time to eat breakfast, and then plenty to spare. I sighed, thinking of possible ways to occupy myself over that period of time.

When I realised I could procrastinate no more, I walked out of my door and climbed slowly down the stairs, eyeing the various pictures and paintings scattered along the walls.

Breakfast was as I imagined it would be. Lara was chatting away, seemingly content with our single-sided conversation, if you could even call it that. I refused to look anyone in the eye, my gaze instead opting to settle on the tiled flooring.

I was overwhelmed to say the least. I guess my brain was finally catching up on the events that occurred over the past few weeks. Because this was _real._ Not just a figment of my imagination.

When the whole breakfast ordeal was over and done with, I decided it was time for me to have a wander around the orphanage. I hadn't had the chance to explore yet, having been to occupied with adjusting to the new schedules and routines.

Wandering along the vacant hallways, I selected a door at random and opened it. Sure enough, there was no sign of a human presence inside, I observed as I surveyed the room in which I was stood in. Realising that I still had a while until Xav and Crystal's arrival, I decided that this was where I would remain for the time being.

The room in itself was vast, with cream walls and an upright piano sat in the corner being the only furniture. I walked mindlessly over to it and caressed my fingers lightly over the dusty ebony keys. I sat down at the stool, and it creaked as I did so, the apparent lack of use blatant.

As I pressed down on a key lightly, the note echoed softly around the room, bouncing off of the walls. I was suddenly transported to one of my earliest memories of my childhood.

 _Mama played a sweet melody on the old keyboard, singing a lullaby in her beautiful voice. I couldn't make out the exact words, but I understood the general idea. I laughed happily, content in my life._

I didn't realise a lone tear had escaped my eye until I head a sudden loud cough from the doorway. I wiped it away hastily before turning around to face my unexpected visitor.

He had a glowing, mocha-coloured complexion with full lips and deep-set chocolate brown eyes. His raven-black, curly hair was worn loosely cropped and complemented his soft features perfectly. He leaned his tall, slim frame against the doorway, and spoke in a deep, rich voice.

"Do you play?" He asked, gesturing to the piano that I was seated at.

I shook my head slowly, unsure of how to act in this stranger's presence.

"Oh, sorry. My name's Nico. I'm guessing you're Oak?" Noticing my confused expression, he added "it's not often we get new people here, you've been the talk of the house over the past few weeks."

I blushed, and he shot me a lopsided smile.

'How long have you been here?' I signed, assuming that he knew sign language.

"Since I was 4. I'm 16 now." I frowned. That was a long time.

'Do you play?'

"I've never had lessons, but I've taught myself a bit over the years. There's not much else to do, and it's a great way to get away from everyone else. This room has been like my safe haven."

I suddenly remembered a bout my scheduled meeting with Xav and Crystal was drawing to a close. I told this to Nico, and then hurried out of the room, a small smile on my face after our brief meeting.

That was my first sincere smile in a long time.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note**

 **Aha! And here we have another update! And a longer one at that! I feel like people aren't enjoying it as much anymore, I'm not getting many reviews. I promise though, I'll be spicing it up soon! Please followreview!**

XxXxXxXx

Okalanae POV

I waited impatiently in the visitor's area for Xav and Crystal to arrive. Checking the clock on the wall, I realised they were already 10 minutes late. Where could they be? Had they forgotten of my existence so quickly? I hadn't originally pegged them as those types of people, but now I wasn't so sure. I mean, I was easily replaceable.

I was beginning to become annoyed after the next 15 minutes. If they wanted to arrange to meet me could they not at least have the audacity to remember to arrive? My questions were finally answered when an unfamiliar person, whom I assumed to be a member of staff, stepped into the room.

"Oak, honey? There's a phone call in the office for you," she said, before gesturing for me to follow her.

She led me into the reception area and handed me a phone, which I accepted and held up to my ear.

"Hello?" I called, unsure of who the recipient of my question would be.

"Oak! Hey, it's Crystal. I'm really sorry that we aren't there, but Xav had some things to handle at work. I'm really sorry."

"Oh." My heart sank. "That's alright then, I guess."

"I'm sorry. I'd better get going now. Bye!"

"Bye."

I guess they really did forget me after all, then.

Exiting the room, I began to wander back to the room with the piano inside. Secretly, I hoped that Nico would be in there too.

My desire was not uncalled for. Sure enough, when I stood outside the closed door, I could vaguely hear the faint sounds of piano-playing from within. The sound seemed to me more suited to be played in an enormous concert hall than an empty room in an orphanage.

The door creaked loudly as I opened it, and the playing stopped abruptly. The black-haired boy turned around to face me and grinned.

'I thought you said you could only play a bit,' I signed.

"Okay, I may have lied just a tiny bit." He laughed. "I spend most of my time either in here or the library, so I guess I picked up on quite a lot over the years. I could always teach you, if you wanted."

I smiled at him (twice in one day!) and nodded shyly.

'I would love that.'

He smirked slightly and beckoned for me to sit beside him on the piano stool.

"Okay, so I an octave you have seven main notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B. But there are also sharps and flats- those are the black notes -in between each key. So each black note to the right of a white key is a sharp, and to the left is a flat. For example: this," he pressed down in a note, "is a C sharp."

'How did you learn all this?'

"There are loads of books about it in the library." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Nico continued to teach me more about the theory of music and also how to play a few simple tunes on the piano for what felt like five minutes, but in reality was in fact an hour.

"Okay, I think that's enough for today," he frowned, glancing up at the clock. Noticing my disappointed expression, he gave a wry smile and added "we can always do this again tomorrow, if you wish."

I nodded eagerly, already finding myself falling in love with the old piano.

"Hey, I have an idea. If we're gonna be friends, we need to get to know each other better, so let's play 20 questions."

I raised my eyebrows slightly at his use of the term 'friends'- he was rather forward -but nodded.

"Okay, I'll go first. How old are you?"

'16, same as you.' He nodded to himself minutely, as if confirming something.

"Where are you from?"

'Hawaii.'

"That's cool. If you could be one animal, what would you be and why?"

I thought about it for a minute. 'A bird of some sort, probably. I would love to be able to be free to fly whenever and wherever I wanted.'

We continued asking and answering each other's questions for the rest of the day, and once again, I felt happy with my life.


End file.
